The best places to eat and drink during Mardi Gras 2016: Jake Smyth of Mary's

Lee Tran Lam

Jake Smyth, co-owner of Mary's and The Unicorn Hotel, shares his top picks for where to drink and dine during the 2016 Mardi Gras.

Imperial Hotel La Grande Dame of Sydney's vibrant gay and lesbian scene – she has had a rough trot of late, but we wouldn't dream of kicking off anywhere else. Game of pool, schooners and jukebox dressed for the march. There's no better place in the world.

Ramblin' Rascal Tavern Charlie Lehmann, Dardan Shervashidze and Sebastian Soto run one of our favourite bars in this city, and it's joyously placed around the corner from the rallying point for the march. Shoot some cognac along with the breeze and a tinnie of Melbourne Bitter. We have rigged up a bat-phone situation to Mary's CBD, so a Fairy's burger can be ordered and delivered.

Brighton Up Bar We have been here to see both our brothers play and it holds special memories for us. For romance alone, we would sink a beer, have a peer and grab a long neck from the Lick-Her Shop down below.

Courthouse Hotel If you haven't been asked to leave this joint, then you would never have made it this far anyway. Front and centre to the action at Taylor Square, it will be a battle to get in, but worth it for the people-watching alone.

The Unicorn Hotel Sorry. We have to do this – because we would be there, if we could somehow pause our Mardi Gras float of beauties and part the peopled seas to the front door of our new joint. At The Unicorn Hotel, there would be some cold red wine for me, a cider for Ali and a shared plate of chops. Love is blindness and tastes like the above.

106 Oxford Street, Paddington, 02 9360 7994

10 William Street One of our favourite places in the whole wide world. The world-class wine list, a portion of which seems to anger some as the bar offers it by the glass. How quaint. But seriously, 10 William has a roster of headliner chefs and the type of hospitality that still makes our head spin. The whipped 'bottarga' pretzel is a staple.

10 William Street. Photo: Domino Postiglione

Heaps Gay x Bearded Tit After Party @ The Captain Cook Hotel

After the march has ended, the party hasn't even finished – it's getting started. This will be where we kick off the stilettos and kick off the rest of the night. The founder of Heaps Gay is our old pal Kat Dopper and it will be a family affair here at the Captain Cook Hotel. Vive la difference!

To coincide with Mardi Gras Week, Mary's is reviving its "Fairy's Burger". For an extra dollar, you can have your burger topped with hundreds and thousands – a tribute to the rainbow flag. Each dollar will be matched by Mary's owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, with proceeds donated to charity. This option will be available at Mary's Newtown, 6 Mary Street, Newtown; Mary's CBD, 154 Castlereagh Street, Sydney and The Unicorn Hotel, 106 Oxford Street, Paddington.